What do American Express, Target, Coca-Cola, the Discovery Channel, Cadillac, Minute Maid, the Cartoon Network, Royal Caribbean, and Calvin Klein have in common? They all break through the clutter of traditional ad spaces to grab the attention of potential customers. And in the process, they dazzle them right out of the boredom of riding the subway.

Subway advertising has been around nearly as long as the subway itself. But advertising media pioneers Submedia, Sidetrack Technologies, and MotionPoster give the old venue a new twist. By employing an innovative technology similar to that of a child's flip book, these companies illuminate dark subway tunnels and turn them into valuable showcases for major advertisers. Since 1999, a new segment of out-of-home advertising has been developed. Various agencies around the world have pioneered a technology that allows for static images placed in subway tunnels to appear as full-motion commercials. This represents one of many developments in recent years to break through ad clutter to capture consumers' attention with a novel type of advertising in a place that consumers do not expect it.

At the core of this new advertising method is a series of lit panels that contain static images. The panels occupy 500 to 1000 feet of space that normally hold only graffiti, grime, and the occasional rodent. When you view one from a standstill, they appear as simple still images. But when a subway passes by, they come to life for riders as a 15- to 30-second full-motion commercial.

Having just another place to air a commercial might not seem so appealing to advertisers. But in a media environment where consumers increasingly bypass ads (think TVC), the placement of these ads in subway tunnels presents exceptional advertising possibilities. The ad medium is rolling out in subway tunnels of major cities worldwide. The most notable part of this new development is that public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Transit officials, agency representatives, and corporate advertisers alike have been given kudos for turning dark and dreary tunnels into something entertaining for commuters.

Advertisers clamour for opportunities to break through the typical clutter. And these ads are so unique, most consumers have never seen anything like them. "We think this will catch people so totally by surprise that when they see them, they can't help but watch them," said Dan Hanrahan, Royal Caribbean's senior vice-president of marketing and sales.

But the uniqueness of this medium is only part of the formula that makes these ad agencies believe they're onto something. The rest is based on the nature of the subway audience: captive and bored. "Everybody overwhelmingly says it takes away from the boredom of the ride," said Joshua Spodek, founder of New York Citybased Submedia. "It's not like it's taking away from a beautiful view, like a billboard as you're driving around a beautiful area in Vermont. A subway tunnel is a semi-industrial environment."

Whether it's because the ads give a bored audience something to do or because this new wave of out-of-home advertisements is truly cutting-edge, industry officials claim that the public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Submedia reports that 87 percent of riders look forward to seeing the next Submedia advertisement, and 60 percent said the ad made their ride more enjoyable.

Comments like this make it easy to believe the claims of underground advertising agencies. One estimate asserts that more than 92 percent of consumers remember the advertised product, while only 13 percent have that same level of recall for televisions ads. This means big ad revenues, and not just for the agencies. Mass transit organizations potentially can realize a big source of secondary income when they lease out this unused real estate.

Currently brightening the tunnels of numerous mass transit systems in North and South America, Asia, and Europe, these advertisements represent something every advertiser dreams of: an ad that people go out of their way to look at. In a world that is increasingly skeptical about too much advertising, this new platform is an express ride to success.

Q."Submedia reports that 87 percent of riders look forward to seeing the next Submedia advertisement..." How does this relate to attitude?